276 OTTER-HUNTING 



ence for a great many years, and nothing is 

 omitted that will conduce to the welfare of the 

 hounds ; but there are other packs that change 

 their masters at frequent intervals, and the 

 management of these generally leave something 

 to be desired. The money for this sport does 

 not flow into the hunt's coffers quite as readily 

 as in fox-hunting, and unless the master is a rich 

 man he will have to economise to meet the bill 

 for meal during a long winter of idleness. When 

 possible, the hunt should always turn out well, 

 but I should infinitely prefer to see a ragged 

 huntsman to a ragged hound. Being always in 

 the water, it is not easy to keep a gloss on their 

 coats, but there is no reason they should not 

 look muscular and healthy. 



In the olden days the otter was hunted with 

 hounds, but then it was not left entirely to the 

 pack to kill him, and several of the party carried 

 sharp spears with which they tried to impale him 

 at every opportunity. We should consider this 

 nowadays hardly a fair way of playing the game, 

 but I imagine otters were more numerous then 

 and a kill was a matter for rejoicing. At any 

 rate it was a more sportsmanlike way of killing 



